Amusement device



Nov. 24, 1931. D. H. SCOTT ET AL AMUSEMENT :DEVI CE Filed June 16, 1931 II I I/ l I/ I/ II II Ill/l Ill/l) INVENTOR5 21/040 15? Sea??- Qa- Z7 'IIIIII'II "'1'- arnararlaalaann ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 24, 1931 OFFICE To THE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, 01110, A coRPoRA'rIon or 01110 states; nae rant-1e; we. seen to; 544,766;

This invention relates to amusement devices of the type known as dark rides whereina passenger car is propelled along a t'racl'rway within an enclosure: whereby the way ismaintained in such darkness that the passengers senses t space','. directi'om'locati'oii', etc.,-= become confused. In such anamnsementdvice the track is arrangedv to provide a devious way for the car, leading from without the enclosure. through a light trapproduedby baffles or double doors, with many donvolutions within the enclosure, and out'thiough another lighetrap; Various effect apparatus is arranged alongthe way Within the enclosure, such as thunder, air blast auds'cenic' machines, and wherelighting iseinployed as in the latter, balfies are I so'ai'rangedthatithe light is invisible from parts of the trackway other than those immediately adjacent; V

This inventionrelates more particularly to one of such" effects, intended to give the passenger the il'l'u'sion of moving, as revolving,

in infinite space, and, briefly comprises a member located in such relation to a portion of the trackway that a, car on the latter will move generally toward the member and it's direction 7 of movement, the member having luminescent configurations arranged to be" visible to an Occupant of the car on said track portion. 7

: Theluminescence is essentialthat the effect of distance may be had, as it has'been found that} should other means of illuminationbe employed, light rays would beemitted which would so illuminate other adjacent objects such as portions of thee-an and trackw way as to make apparent. the true relation of the parts; and it is an object ofour invention to employ luminescent material for the purpose described; v I p Luminescent material, however, maintains it's luminescence only avery short time after each exposure to light, so that in the. described arrangement light means must be provided to which the configurations may be periodically exposed to receive energization; and'this is a further object of the invention.

.It will beapparent that unfortunately the effect of luminescence is entirely destroyed it its energizing light means be functioning While the configurations are visible to the passenger. We therefore, as another object of our invention provide means controlled by the movement of the car for interrupting the functioning of the light means when the car is on a portion of the trackway from which the configurations are visible to the occupant. Theexact nature of this invention together with; further objects and advantages thereof will-be apparent from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional and side elevations respectively, illus trative of an embodiment of the invention wherein the configuration-bearing member is cylindrical, parts being broken away to show details of construction; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic showing of the light control means employed,"the' figure also illustrating the plan arrangement of parts appearingin Figs. 1 and 2; Figs. 4 and 5 are elevation and plan views respectively of another embodiment of the invention wherein the configurations are borne upon a disk, Fig. 4 being taken as upon lined-4, Fig. 5; Figs. 6 and 7 show another einbodiment, wherein the configurations'are carried upon a rin ,.Fig. 6 being a front elevation similar to ig. 4t and Fig.

7. being a section as indicated line 7-7,

Fig. .6.

With reference now to the drawings and particularly Figs. 1-3 thereof, 1 indicates a pair of rails which provide atrackway along the floor 2 of a building enclosure whose interioi' is maintained dark as indicated by the walls and ceiling 3 the purpose of the trackway being to guide a card therealong. The rails 1 may have connection with one side .2 -L a i car 4 may be equipped with a driving motor Mreceiving energy from the rails through collectors 5 for propulsion along the trackv Way.

A cylindrical member 6 is mounted as upon rollers 'Zto be driven about its axis by a motor 8 acting through a belt 9. The cylinder 6 is 7 located as indicatedFigs. 1 and to -extend beneath the floor 2'with' its axis 'ialong and above a stretch 10 of the trackway which leads through the cylinder on a floor bridge portionll'; and the cylinder fi'sof-jsuficient diameter that car and 'passengers'may pass along the 'trackway stretchtherethrough 1351's arranged to illuminate the faceof the with ample clearance therefrom.

The inner surface of the cylinder. 6 pro vided' with configurations here shown as in the form of stars"12;spaced, as indicated in Fig. '2, along helical lines. :Theconfigu-rations'may be simply painted on the'surface with' 'luminescent paint, theren ainder of the surface preferably having azdead black or other i effective light-absorbing;- surfacing serving as aninvisib'le background. r v 7 That the luminosity ofthe configurations may bemaintainedlprovide light meansforenergizing the luminescent material thereof, comprising electric lamps 13 arranged to direct their illumination upon a portion of the surface of the cylinderyand that the; light emittedby the lamps 13 may be confined so far as possiblell locate the lamps beneath the fioor bridge' portion 11 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2; With reference now-to the circuit diagram portion of Fig-'3, asthere shown the lamps 13 may be arranged in a icircuiticonnectedfwith'the rails 1 and 1 for.=current supply. Thatthe functioning of thelight may beinterruptedlwhen the car 4 is on that portion of the; trackway from which rays escaping-fromthe lamps-13 might-destroy theeifect of the luminosity of the configura:

v, tions', *1 provide switch-means 14 in the lamp circuit, The switch'letfmayibe simplyia relay switch, normally closedito maintain the lampsenergizedi and having a coil 15 :iupon energization of which the lamp circuit will be-broken; wThecircuiteof the coil 15 includes a connection c16-with the L1 rail' and a'third rail-17 extending'alongside the" track so far asit-is desired that the lights 13' remain out. Awcollector 18 is mounted onthe car itocooperate" with the 1' rail 17,; thezcontactor 18 as at '19 rail 17. Itfis 'prefera'ble thatthetrackway have a bend as at'20 immediately ahead of -With reference now to the modification illustrated Figs. 4 and 5, a less expensive construction is shown wherein a disk 6a is arranged to be rotated on its axis by a motor 8a, and a stretch 10a of the track is varranged to. lead thecar .towardthefdisk along its axis,

with a sharp bend indicated in Fig. 5 just be fore the disk; so that the disk will be directlyahead o'f-the'car while the latter isonthe stretch 10a {The configurations here shown are in the form of a spiral lines 12a. A lamp dislrsubject to interruption governed by the third rail 17a as b'fore. p

' The-form shown in Figs. 6; and Tie a-zmodification whereina: ring 6?) is employed the ring extending though, slots the floor and mounted. tobe rotated: on-its', axis byJmotor 8b, with the track 1 -,running through the opening in thering.-- Here the configurations are in the form'ofacircles 12?) upon the face of theering'toward a stretchof'trackway asin tioning of said; light means y when saidq car is onisaid track-Way portion 2.; In an amusement device Qf th classdescribe-C1, a moving member havmggluminescent configurationala car, a trackway therefor having a portion arranged todirect the car occupants? VlSlOD toward saidigconfigurations,'light means for energizing said icon'figus rations, and means for interrupting-the func? tioning of -said lightmeanswwhen said car is OD-StudtYHCliWZtY,POKUOILu I 8.ln an amusement device of the class described, a car, atracl 'way therefor, am'em- I her :having luminescent configurations arranged to: be visible to an-Qccupantof'said car on a portionof said trackway, said memberbeing arranged for movement to move saidiconfigurations transversely of said trackway portion, light means for energizing said configurations, a and means controlled by the movement of fsaid'car forinterrupting the functioning ofI-said light meanswhen said car is'on saidrtrackwjay portion." I I 1 4. In an amusementdevice of the class described, a rotating member, a car, a trackway therefor having a portion adjacent said member, said member having luminescent configurations arranged to be visible to an occupant of said car on said portion, light means for energizing said configurations, and means controlled by the movement of said car for interrupting the functioning of said light means when said car is on a portion of said trackway from which said configurations are visible to said occupant.

5. In an amusement device of the class described, a rotating member, a car, a track- Way therefor having a stretch adjacent said member adapted to direct said car generally along the axis thereof, said member having luminescent configurations, light means for ener izing said configurations, and means controlled by the movement of said car for interrupting the functioning of said light means When said car is on said stretch.

6. In an amusement device of the class described, a member having a through opening and arranged for rotation about said opening, a car, a trackway therefor having a stretch leading through said opening, said member having luminescent configurations arranged to be visible to an occupant of a car on said stretch, light means for energizing said configurations, and means controlled by the movement of said car for interrupting the functioning of said light means when the car is on said stretch.

7. In anamusement device of the class described, a member having a through opening and arranged for rotation about said opening, a car, a trackway therefor having a stretch leading through said opening, said member having luminescent configurations arranged to be visible to an occupant of a car on said stretch, light means arranged below said trackway for energizing said configurations, and means controlled by the movement of said car for interrupting the functioning of said light means when the car is on said stretch. a g

8. In an amusement device of the class described, a rotating cylinder, a car, a track- Way therefor having a stretch lea ding through said cylinder, said cylinder having luminescent configurations, and means controlled by the movement of said car forinterrupting the functioning of said light means when said car is on said stretch.

9. In an amusement device of the class described, a rotating cylinder, a car, a track- Way therefor having a stretch leading through said cylinder, said cylinder having luminescent configurations on its inner surface, light means arranged below said track- Way for energizing said configurations, and means controlled by the movement of said car for interrupting the functioning of said light means when said car is on said stretch. 

